John Wallop
Armed with a letter from Henry VIII,[10] dated 14 September 1516, to Emmanuel I, king of Portugal, he sailed to that country and offered his services at his own expense against the Moors.
In September 1518, his name occurs as one of the king's pensioners, and for the next three years he was serving under Earl of Surrey in Ireland, frequently being the means of communication between the Lord Deputy and Henry VIII.
On 20 May, he was at Breslau in Silesia, visiting Sigismund I, King of Poland, who made vague but pleasant promises of hostility against "the ungraciose sect of Lutere".
[3] In April 1532 Wallop was sent as ambassador to Paris, which he visited at frequent intervals as the English resident for the next eight or nine years.
The Venetian Marin Giustinian, writing from Paris on 15 April 1533, spoke of Wallop as one who did not approve of the divorce.
He was probably in London in the middle of 1534, but was certainly back in Paris in December, and remained there for the first half of 1535, taking part in the attempt to persuade Melanchthon to come to England.
A curious letter to him from Henry, dated 12 September 1536, directs him to investigate the strength of the French fortresses.
[16] In February 1540, Wallop succeeded Bonner as ambassador resident at Paris; at Abbeville he was presented to the king of France and had an interview with the queen of Navarre.
[18] William, lord Sandys of the Vyne, captain of Guisnes, died on 4 December 1540, and Wallop's friends made a successful application in his favour.
He was accused of "sundry notable offences and treasons done towards us",[22] but in consideration of his long service he was allowed to explain his conduct.
[23] Brought before the council (some time earlier than 26 March 1541), at his first examination he stood very stiffly to his truth and circumspection, neither calling to remembrance what he had written with his own hand.
… Whereupon the king's majesty of his goodness caused his own sundry letters written to Pate, that traitor, and others to be laid before him; which when he once saw and read he cried for mercy, acknowledging his offences with the danger he was in by the same, and refusing all shifts and trials, for indeed the things were most manifest.
Nevertheless, he made most earnest and hearty protestation, that the same never passed him upon any evil mind or malicious purpose, but only upon wilfulness … which he confessed had been in him, whereby he had not only in the things of treason but also [in] other ways … meddled above his capacity and whereof he had no commission, far otherwise than became a good subject.
[24]Queen Catherine Howard, it seems, had made intercession, and Henry himself, who was fond of men of Wallop's type, would not need much persuading.
[26] Wallop was ill during part of the operations, but gained great glory, and Emperor Charles V commended his conduct to Henry VIII.
As relations between France and England grew strained, Wallop was involved in various frontier conflicts which were the subject of prolonged recriminations between the English and French courts.
[28] He retained his post during the ensuing war, 1549–50, and after the conclusion of peace was on 29 November 1550 once more made a commissioner for the delimitation of the English and French boundaries.
